1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device management apparatus, a device management method, and a computer-readable medium and, more particularly, to a management method for devices which are used from terminals in remote places.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional device management methods include a device management method which facilitates the management of the locations of devices in, for example, an office by managing the location information of each device with a hierarchical structure (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-92765).
Some conventional image forming system is configured such that when a user uses an image forming apparatus from a mobile terminal having a GPS (Global Positioning System) or PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) function, the system searches for an image forming nearest to the mobile terminal by using the location information of each image forming apparatus (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-244831).
In general, in a large office in which a plurality of devices, such as multifunction peripherals and printers, are installed, a manager assumes areas in an office as areas where the respective devices are to be used, and then determines the installation locations of the devices so as to avoid inconvenience such as having no devices in some area. However, there is available no means for checking whether the respective devices in the respective areas are used as assumed by the manager. This raises a problem that the manager cannot change the locations of devices in consideration of the utilization situations of the devices.
It is often the case that a user who performs print output on a device from a terminal such as a PC (Personal Computer) searches for a device in the same area and uses it. In such a case, if the manager generates data associating areas in an office with devices in advance, a user can easily find a device in the same area by using the generated data.
However, it is very troublesome for the manager to generate data for associating the areas in the office with the devices. Even if the manager uses a device management unit like that disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-92765, he/she needs to register the locations of the devices and area information associated with the devices by using a tool. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-244831, there has also been proposed a method of finding a device in the same area by using the location information obtained from a GPS sensor. A physical obstacle such as a wall or desk sometimes exists between a terminal and a device. If, therefore, this system searches for a device nearest to the terminal by using only the linear distance of the location information acquired from the GPS sensor installed in the terminal or each device, the system may notify the user of a device in a wrong area.